


Written in the Moon

by Pelydryn



Series: All the (non-painful) SMUT [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Eventual Smut, Humor, Light Angst, M/M, Modern Royalty, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, camelot drabble, perfectly imperfect, we need to talk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-08
Updated: 2017-05-31
Packaged: 2018-09-22 23:01:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9629039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pelydryn/pseuds/Pelydryn
Summary: "Merlin was drunk. Horribly, inadvisably drunk. The love of his life was getting married to somebody else in a few hours, and all he wanted to do was forget."(Now with smut. And complete.)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kitty_fic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kitty_fic/gifts).



> Written for the Camelot_Drabble prompt, "We need to talk."
> 
> This is for Kitty, who deserves gift fic. She requested, among other things, something fun and trope-y, perhaps soulmates with angst. So that's what I tried. ;-)
> 
> I started writing partially because it seemed like a good way to interact with people more. I've been kind of looking for places to talk about fanfic and the like. In the last two weeks I've stumbled into the Merlin Writers chat room, and now I'm talking all the time. So yay for that! It's kind of detrimental to actually writing anything, but oh well!

Merlin was drunk. Horribly, inadvisably drunk. The love of his life was getting married to somebody else in a few hours, and all he wanted to do was forget.

 

“You know that Arthur can't be the love of your life, mate. You don't have the—”

 

“Shut up, Gwaine. Didn't your mum tell you that if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all?”

 

They were sitting side-by-side in a sticky booth at a sketchy pub near Westminster Abbey. The wedding wasn't for a few hours, but the street outside was crammed with people hoping to get a glimpse of the prince and his new bride.

 

Merlin groaned and leaned into Gwaine’s warm body. He'd never let himself before, not wanting to lead him on while he waited for his Prince Charming. But the soul marks hadn't appeared by his twenty-first birthday, and if they hadn't come by then, they never would. Merlin still hoped that maybe…. But in the absence of a soulmate, the king expected his son to marry for a political alliance.

 

“How come I couldn't be the princess of a strategic kingdom? I could be as good a princess as that Elena is. That girl can't even walk without running into something.” Merlin dropped all the way into Gwaine’s lap and blinked up at him.

 

Gwaine stared down, a funny look on his face. “I think you'd be a crap princess, mate, but any guy would be lucky to have you.” Gwaine gently petted Merlin's hair, then ran his fingers over his cheeks and nose, forehead and chin. When he got to his lips, Merlin popped them open and sucked in a finger. After a long moment, he grabbed Gwaine’s fingers with his own.

 

“Take me home?”

 

Gwaine stilled, looking hesitant, but then nodded yes.

 

—

 

They ended up in Gwaine’s flat. Merlin was determined to kiss away all his longing, a first step towards moving on.

 

“You sure about this, Merls? There's no rush.” Gwaine’s eyes shone with something akin to concern. Or maybe Merlin was just drunk.

 

In response, Merlin fell backwards onto the bed and pulled Gwaine on top of him. Gwaine grinned his impish smile, and Merlin kissed it right off his face.

 

They quickly lost their clothing. Merlin begged Gwaine to get on with it, but there was a pause while Gwaine went to find some oil. Merlin lay face down on the bed, dismayed to find his eyes prickling with tears. He tried to banish all thoughts of a certain blond prat kissing his new bride in front of thousands of people.

 

Without warning, Gwaine dripped oil on his bum, and then rubbed it in with deliberate strokes. Merlin couldn't help but tense as the hands moved closer to their destination.

 

“You okay? You've done this before, yeah?”

 

Merlin _hadn't_ done it before. He'd always been waiting for Arthur, but without the soul marks, the prince was unattainable. Merlin was merely one of his servants, the difference in their stations too great.

 

There was no way that Merlin would share that info, though. Gwaine would probably get all noble and not want to take advantage, or some rot like that. And Merlin fully planned on having all thoughts of Arthur fucked right out of his head.

 

Gwaine went back to preparing Merlin. He abruptly froze. Then he started laughing hysterically.

 

Merlin sprang up from the bed, face turning red.   “What the hell, Gwaine?”

 

But Gwaine just laughed some more. After a long moment, in which Merlin was seriously considering slapping him across the face, he managed to catch his breath.

 

“You really haven't done this before, have you?”

 

“Er, well, not exactly.” Merlin felt his face growing even hotter.

 

“You didn't seduce that prince of yours even once?” Gwaine looked genuinely surprised by this fact.

 

“If you're just going to make fun of me, I'm going to—”

 

“Merlin, you silly thing. If you _had_ seduced the prince, he would have found his name on your arse.”

 

Merlin stared at Gwaine. Uncomprehending.

 

Gwaine took pity on him. “The reason you never found your soul mark, you nit wit, is because it was in a place you never thought to look.”

 

Comprehension ripped through Merlin like lightning. “That's not funny.”

 

“If I'm lying I'll personally let you shave my head. I'm sure his is in the same spot. How the two of you never…. I mean, with all that eye-fucking…. Here, I'll take a picture.”

 

God, no…. But he had to know for sure. “Use my phone. I don't trust you with a photo like that.”

 

But there it was, a tiny “Arthur Pendragon” written in the most intimate of places. Oh god oh god oh god what to do what to do?

 

Gwaine smirked. “Don't you have a wedding to stop?”

 

He did, he really did. Soulmates had precedence, but once Arthur married Elena, dissolving the marriage would be an act of political aggression. He had to see Arthur _right now_.

 

He threw on his clothes (casual and not at all fit for a royal wedding) and ran. The Abbey was not far, but the press of the crowds slowed him, causing him to panic. When he finally arrived at the cathedral, the wedding was about to start. There was security everywhere.

 

He ran from guard to guard till he found Leon. “Leon! You have to let me in! I need to see Arthur!”

 

Leon looked stunned to see him. “I thought your mum was in hospital?”

 

“Just let me in, please. It's an emergency!”

 

Leon pointed through the entrance of the church. “He's over there. But you don't have long.”

 

Merlin sprinted as though the hounds of hell were after him. He skidded to a halt in front of the disapproving groomsmen. Arthur stood there, impossibly handsome in his officer's uniform. Merlin felt like a sweaty slug in comparison. Was it a mistake to come?

 

The wedding march began.

 

“Arthur!” Merlin yelled. “We need to talk!”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Arthur's wedding day is perfectly imperfect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the Camelot Drabble prompt: perfectly imperfect.

Arthur jolted to attention when he heard Merlin yelling. He had been deep in the midst of brooding about the inequality of the universe. Sure, he was the crowned prince and had been born with a god-damned silver spoon in his mouth, as Merlin loved to remind him. But when it came to matters of love, he felt impoverished. His mother dead giving birth to him, his father resentful and distant. Never allowed to grow close to anyone, ever, because, “Princes can't have friends, Arthur. People will pretend to like you, only to use you for your power and influence.”

 

And when he'd finally found someone who had loved him as he was, warts and all—“And there are a hell of a lot of warts there, Arthur!” Merlin always teased—the soul marks had refused to come. Arthur had been sure that he had found his soulmate, but no. Uther had been so smug, claiming that even destiny knew that Arthur must marry for the good of the kingdom.

 

Arthur's bride-to-be, the Princess Elena, was all awkward manners and clumsy limbs, but she was also sweet and friendly and a dream on a horse. They could have been great friends. But since their forced marriage was imminent, he found himself angry and resentful towards her. Arthur stewed, a maelstrom of negative emotions. He kept his smile firmly in place, though. Everybody was watching him.

 

They were also watching the scene Merlin was currently making, hollering about needing to talk. Didn't the idiot realise that there was nothing to be done? What was he doing here, anyway? Hadn’t he told Arthur that he couldn't come and watch him marry someone else? Hadn’t he made up some fucking story about his mum being sick in hospital, just so he could abandon Arthur on the worst day of his life?

 

Merlin didn't stop making a racket even when Valiant intercepted him on his way to Arthur. Valiant had served as a security guard for years now, but when Arthur saw his meaty hands all over Merlin, he wanted to strangle the man.

 

“Let him go!” Arthur commanded, in what Merlin called his most prat-like voice. Valiant didn't look pleased, but he wouldn't ignore a direct order in front of all these people. He released Merlin, who darted straight to Arthur.

 

“Arthur!” he panted. “I have to talk to you!”

 

“In case you haven't noticed, _Mer_ lin, I'm a bit busy right now.” For some reason, Merlin's unexpected presence was seriously unnerving him. “It's going to have to wait.”

 

Arthur turned away, knowing he was in danger of revealing more than would be prudent. Merlin grabbed his arm. The touch sizzled like an electric jolt.

 

“This can't wait.” Merlin dragged him forcefully down a hallway and into a storage room. Arthur could hear the wedding march playing still. Several members of the wedding party had to enter before Arthur, but there was no way he could possibly make it back in time for his entrance.

 

Heaven help him, but he really would do anything Merlin asked.

 

Before Arthur could demand an explanation, Merlin dropped his trousers. “Look, Arthur! Look!” Then he leaned over a small table and spread his cheeks to give Arthur a perfect view.

 

It was one of Arthur's fantasies come to life, but he had no idea why it was happening now. “If you think this is going to change my father's mind—”

 

“Just look, you dollophead! Tell me what you see!”

 

He peered where Merlin was attempting to point and—god have mercy—there it was. A tiny but legible “Arthur Pendragon” in the unmistakeable script of the soul marks.

 

“Oh my god.”

 

If it wasn't the most eloquent moment of his life, who could blame him?

 

Merlin tried to get up, but Arthur held him in place. “Just—stay put.” He couldn't stop looking at his name, there, written on Merlin's bum, marking him as his own.

 

“How did you find…? Wait—is that oil?”

 

Merlin tried to stand again, but Arthur still held him down, not yet ready to face him. Arthur could see the tips of Merlin's ears turning red.

 

Arthur's voice broke. “You were going to—? With someone else?” He knew it was unreasonable, but the knowledge that Merlin could move on struck like a knife through a major artery. Only it was emotion spurting out at a dangerous rate.

 

He leaned his body forwards, till he lay over Merlin like a blanket, and whispered in his ear, “May I? Please say yes.”

 

When Merlin replied, his voice was hoarse. “Yes, of course. Anything.”

 

Arthur pulled back slightly, then reached to touch the name etched on Merlin's skin. Once he started touching, he couldn't get himself to stop, hand sliding over the previously-oiled skin.

 

“Who was it?” He was horrified at how hurt his voice sounded.

 

“Does it matter?”

 

Yes, it very much did matter. Arthur needed to know so he could find whoever it was and banish them from the country.

 

Merlin pushed up and spun around in a huff, trousers bunched at his ankles. “You should be _thanking_ him, you clotpole! If you're going to be an arse about it, I might just go back and let him finish the job!”

 

“It was Gwaine, wasn't it? He always did have his eye on you.”

 

“Fine. Be like that. I should have known you'd be a jealous, egotistical—”

 

Arthur pulled him close and kissed him fiercely. That shut him up nicely.

 

There was a banging on the door, and a voice yelled, “Arthur! You in there? It's time!”

 

Arthur ignored it and tightened his hold on Merlin, pressing deeper into his mouth. As far as kisses went, it was the most perfectly imperfect one that he could imagine.

 

The door burst open and King Uther strode in, face puce with rage. He took one look at Merlin, half-naked, snogging the groom-to-be, and roared, “Guards! Arrest this man!”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Arthur and his father have a friendly little chat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the Camelot_Drabble prompt, "Wait for it"

Arthur grabbed Merlin tightly to him with both arms, a fierce hug of never-letting-go, then spun to face his father.    
  
“Stop!  You can't arrest him!”  
  
Uther did not look impressed by this statement.    
  
“Arthur.  I am the king.  I assure you that I can do whatever I like.”  
  
“But he's my soulmate!”  
  
Arthur wasn’t sure it was possible for his father to look even more furious, but somehow he managed it.    
  
He heard Merlin mutter “Arthur—” into his ear, but just snapped, “Shut up, Merlin.”  Now was really not the time for the idiot—his idiot, mind you, but still an idiot—to mess things up.  He let go with one hand to grab Merlin's head and smush his face into Arthur's shoulder.  Knowing Merlin, he'd run off at the mouth and be sent to prison for the rest of his life.  Merlin squawked in protest, but Arthur ignored him.   
  
Valiant lurked behind the king, looking eager.  At a nod from Uther, he stalked over to grab Merlin.  When he tried to put his slimy hands on Merlin, Arthur growled at him.    
  
“Stay back!” Arthur glared so fiercely, Valiant paused.  Merlin squirmed frantically, but Arthur ignored him.  “Father, he has my soul mark.  Send everyone away, and we can talk about it.”  
  
“Arthur.  You know you don't have a mark.  I don't know what kind of trick this boy is trying to pull, but I can assure you, I won't fall for it.”  
  
Merlin grumbled something into Arthur's shoulder.  Arthur ignored him.    
  
“Father.  It is no trick.  I have seen it.  It is a true mark.”  
  
Uther glared at him.  “You only wish to escape your marriage, Arthur.  This childish prank won't work.”  
  
Arthur felt his initial panic at the threat of Merlin's arrest shift to the burn of anger.  “Why are you so against this, Father?  Why wouldn't you want me to be happy?”  
  
“Happiness is an illusion, Arthur.  Love is an illusion.  The soul marks give you hope only to destroy it.  I've tried to protect you from that.”  
  
“You've tried to protect me?  By doing what?  Denying me any form of love, ever?”  Arthur struggled to keep his voice steady.    
  
Uther shook his head, as if clearing it before a battle.  He turned to the guards and snapped, “Leave us!”   
  
The room cleared.  Only Valiant lingered, though he retreated behind Uther.    
  
Arthur had no patience to deal with that prick.  “Get the fuck out, Val.”   
  
Valiant leered at him, then lowered his eyes to where, to Arthur's horror, Merlin was mooning the king.  No wonder Merlin had seemed so irritated with the position.  Arthur let him go and hissed, “Get dressed!”    
  
“What did you think I was trying to do?”  Merlin pulled up his trousers with a whispered “prat!”, then turned towards the king.    
  
“Actually, Valiant, you may stay.”  Uther sounded smug.  “So, Arthur, let's see this soul mark, then.”   
  
“Not yet.  What did you mean about protecting me?”  
  
“Why this delay, Arthur?  Is it because there is no mark?”  
  
Uther looked too pleased with himself.  It suddenly occurred to Arthur the reason why. Soulmates’ marks appeared in the exact same place on each of them.   
  
Arthur fumed.  “You knew about my mark all along!  You know exactly where it is!”  Could his father really have been so cruel?  
  
“And I had hoped that you would never find it.  Why do you think I forbid you being alone with other young people?”  
  
This was too much for Arthur to take.  “You've been sabotaging me?”  His voice squeaked in disbelief.   
  
Uther merely sounded bored.  “That's hardly news, Arthur.”  
  
“Let me rephrase that.  You've been sabotaging me so that I wouldn’t find my soul mark?”  
  
“If you'd known about it, you'd have spent your whole life searching for an illusion.  I couldn't risk it.”  
  
“You couldn't risk it?  Risk the chance that I might find love?”  Arthur’s eyes prickled, and he blinked them firmly.    
  
“There is nothing good about love.  Love makes promises of happily-ever-after, then leaves you heartbroken and empty-handed.  At least by marrying Elena, we'll have a political alliance to celebrate.”    
  
The pieces slid together in Arthur's head.  “This is about mum?  She died, so you thought you'd spare me your pain?   I've been fighting to win the tiniest morsel of your love since I was born.  I thought that if I were better, more perfect, you might finally love me.  I've tried to wait for it my whole life, and now I find out that nothing I do will ever be enough, because you thought you were _protecting me_ ?”  
  
Arthur knew he sounded hysterical, but if he couldn't throw a mini-tantrum now, when could he?  
  
“I've finally found my soulmate, someone who loves me no matter what, and I'm not going to let you take that away.”    
  
Something else was bothering Arthur. “How could you have known where the mark was? That's just—”  
  
“Despite what one might think, I have changed a nappy or two in my time, Arthur.”  
  
“Wait—nappy?  But that means—”  
  
That meant that the mark had been there since infancy.  It was said that the earlier your mark appeared, the more intense the soulbond would be.    
  
Behind him, Arthur heard Merlin murmur, “But Mum never said anything.  She wouldn't have hid that from me.”  
  
“You're a year older than me, Merlin.  You must have been out of nappies by the time the marks appeared.”  
  
He turned back to Uther.  “I will not marry Elena, Father.  You were wrong to have expected it of me.  You knew who my soulmate was, all this time, and tried to keep him from me.  I cannot forgive that.”   
  
He pulled at Merlin by the upper arm, causing the idiot to stumble in surprise.  “Come on, then.  I have a wedding to cancel.”   
  
Uther roared.  “You cancel this wedding and I'll disinherit you, Arthur!”    
  
“So be it.”  Arthur pushed past his father and Valiant and dragged Merlin right out the door. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On my writing program, these chapters are all exactly 1000 words. Apparently ao3 counts words differently. ;-)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which two old friends have a little chat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was written for the Camelot_Drabble prompt "My shot".
> 
> It is also still for Kitty, who deserves lots of good things.

The second the two of them exited the storage room, Merlin yanked his arm out of Arthur's grasp.    
  
“You utter clotpole!” he yelled, then stomped as hard as he could on Arthur's super-shiny fancy shoes.  Merlin knew that his sneakers were soft and would hardly make an impact, but it was the thought that counted.    
  
“What was that for?”  Arthur sounded genuinely puzzled, like he couldn't understand why Merlin might be upset about _mooning the king during the most important conversation of his life_.    
  
“Are you serious?  You conveniently forget to let me pull my trousers up and hush me like a disobedient child when I complain, and you ask me _what was that for_?  You are such a prat!”  And Merlin stomped down on Arthur's shoe again.    
  
When he spoke, Arthur sounded aggrieved.  “If you hadn't noticed, _Mer_ lin, I just _gave up my_ _crown_ for you…”  
  
“Which I would never have asked of you!  Did you even think to ask my opinion on the matter?  Noooo, can't ask Merlin anything.  Merlin's an idiot!   Merlin can't be trusted with his own—”  
  
“Really, Arthur?  This is what you're giving up a kingdom for?”  Uther had emerged from the closet, closely followed by Valiant.  Valiant leered at Merlin as if he were still naked, and it was starting to creep him out.  Actually, a lot of the guards in the hallway waiting for Uther were looking at him the same way.  Great.    
  
Arthur turned to his father.  “Yes.  I am not throwing away my shot at love.  You had your chance, and maybe it didn't go so well.  I would have hoped that my existence might have brought you some comfort, but I see I was misguided.  But that doesn't mean I shouldn't have a chance with my own soulmate.”  
  
Merlin really felt for Arthur right then.  Merlin had always had his mother's complete devotion.  Although she could be irritating when in overprotective mother hen mode, Merlin knew that he was the center of her universe.    
  
He had asked her about his father, sometimes, and she would get a sad look in her eyes.  The day Merlin had turned eighteen, she had shown him the name written across her hipbone.  It read “Balinor Emrys” in the perfect letters of the soul marks.    
  
“I want you to know that although I never talk about him, I loved your father very much.  He was the second best thing that ever happened to me.  Never forget, my darling, that you are the first.”  
  
So yes, Merlin had been lucky.  He still wasn't ready to forgive Arthur for that mooning incident, but his heart ached for him.  It made him want to snuggle up and hold him all night.  Or maybe forever.    
  
Merlin was trying to figure out the best way to get to the permanent cuddling when a new voice echoed through the corridor.    
  
“What is the meaning of this, Uther?  The wedding should have started twenty minutes ago!  My Elena is a nervous wreck!”  
  
Lord Godwyn, king of Gawant, was striding towards them.  The guards stepped aside to let him pass.    
  
Uther immediately smoothed his facial expression from furious to mildly irritated.  Merlin was impressed.  That must be a useful skill for a king.  Merlin had a distressing tendency to broadcast every last emotion all over his face.  Right now he was trying to send Arthur an “I'm still furious with you” look, but he was fairly sure that what his face actually said was, “I adore you and want to jump into your bed and never get out ever again.”  
  
“I'm so sorry, old friend,” Uther said, startling Merlin out of his quickly escalating daydream of what he'd like to be doing in Arthur's bed.  “We've had a . . . minor hiccup.”  
  
Arthur exploded with indignation.  “You call the fact that you knew I had a soulmate and hid it from me my whole life a _minor hiccup_?”  
  
Godwyn looked perturbed.  “Is this true, Uther?  The boy has a soulmate?  You would have my Elena marry someone whose heart is permanently bonded to another?”  
  
“Come, Godwyn.  You know the soul marks mean little.  They're just a bit of foolish nonsense about love.  Love is a frivolity that we cannot afford.  Besides, my Arthur would never stray.  He's much too honorable for such a thing.  You needn’t worry.”  
  
Arthur was incensed.  Merlin was too.  If anyone got to call him “my Arthur”, it was clearly Merlin.  After all, it was his arse that had Arthur's name written on it.    
  
“You dare to claim me, after what you've done?  You are no father of mine.”  Arthur's normally confident voice cracked.    
  
Uther seethed.  “I already told you, Arthur, if you don't go through with this wedding, I will disinherit you—”  
  
“No.  You won't.”  Godwyn’s voice was strong and left no room for contradiction.  “It was wrong of you to try to pawn him off on my Elena.  She deserves better than to marry someone who is emotionally compromised.  And if you disinherit him for doing what's right, I'm going to have to seriously reconsider our friendship.”  
  
Uther looked like he had swallowed a toad.  If Merlin could have done a little happy dance without drawing attention to himself, he would have been boogying up and down the hallway.  Never in his wildest dreams would he have imagined he would see the day that someone would have the guts to tell Uther off.  He felt giddy with delight.    
  
Giddy and reckless.    
  
“So, we're agreed that Arthur isn't marrying Elena or being disinherited?  Great!  Perhaps someone should alert the guests.  Arthur and I have  some important business to attend to, seeing as how we were so rudely interrupted before.”  
  
Godwyn and Uther both looked at him as if he were a giant insect that had just splatted on a windshield.  But no one stopped him when he grabbed Arthur’s arm, pulled him into the closet, and slammed the door behind them.  Merlin had a perfectly imperfect kiss to finish. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The smutty happy ending, part one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kitty loves smut, so I tried to give her some. It was my first time writing happy smut. It was hard!
> 
> Also, I've changed my user name, in case the author name seems wrong. 
> 
> This would not have been written without the encouragement of the Chatzy people. If you like to talk about Merlin stuff, the Merlin chat is a great place to go. You can find info here: http://merlin-chat.livejournal.com/
> 
> Written for the Camelot Drabble prompt "favour".

As soon as Merlin slammed the closet door, he turned to pounce on Arthur, but the prat was too quick. Before Merlin could move, Arthur had pressed him up against the door and was snogging him so fiercely Merlin briefly worried his lips would be torn off.    
  
But he relished it. Arthur never lost control, so for him to do so now….   
  
Arthur pressed his body into Merlin's, hard. He was still wearing his officer's uniform, and the medals hanging on the front pressed painfully into Merlin's chest. He didn't care, but it was a great reason to suggest the removal of clothing. If only he could get the clotpole to slow down for a second.     
  
He had to wait a seemingly impossible length of time before Arthur paused for a breath. “Arthur! You're poking me!”    
  
Grinning mischievously, the prat pressed his groin into Merlin's. He was hard, so very hard. “I know.”   
  
“Do me a favour and take off that uniform!”   
  
Arthur stepped back abruptly, a suspicious gleam in his eye. Merlin had to catch himself from falling to the floor.    
  
“No, actually, I think  _ you're _ the one who owes  _ me _ a favour, seeing as how you so  _ very _ rudely interrupted my  _ very _ important—and  _ very _ expensive—wedding.”   
  
“You're damn lucky I did, you—”   
  
Arthur reached out and stuck his hand across Merlin's mouth. “You know, I think I heard quite enough of your insults when you were standing half-naked in front of the king.”   
  
Gods, Merlin loved it when Arthur got bossy.    
  
“You ready to make it up to me?”   
  
Merlin nodded, since Arthur's hand was still firmly pressed against his lips. Oh, how he longed to suck on them… but that was not part of whatever game Arthur was playing.    
  
“I don't want to hear another word out of that insolent little mouth of yours, you understand?” Merlin nodded again, feeling more excited by the second.    
  
Arthur cautiously removed his hand, as if expecting Merlin to start speaking at any moment. When he remained quiet, Arthur nodded.    
  
“Strip.”   
  
Merlin stared at Arthur, startled at the request. Arthur was trying his best to look nonchalant, but Merlin knew him too well to believe the act.    
  
He had to admit to himself that he had dreamed of such a moment for years. But now that it was here, he felt strangely bashful.    
  
“Sometime this year would be preferable,  _ Mer _ lin.”   
  
All right then. Once a prat, always a prat. This thought strangely helped Merlin to feel more at ease. A bit of his normal cockiness returned.    
  
Instead of hurrying, he leant over and slowly, deliberately, undid the laces on one sneaker. He wouldn't break the rules of whatever game they were playing by speaking, but he did lift one eyebrow in a show of defiance.    
  
Arthur stared at him, an exasperated expression on his face. Score one for Merlin.    
  
Slowly, slowly, oh so slowly, Merlin removed his other sneaker and socks. He pulled his jeans down before his shirt, feeling inadequate, all scrawny and pale.    
  
“ _ Mer _ lin.” Arthur's voice was a command that could not be refused. He pulled up his shirt, inch by hesitant inch. The expression on Arthur's face was inscrutable, but at least it didn’t show any hint of distaste.    
  
Although he had already pulled his pants down today for all and sundry, it was another matter entirely with someone watching him so intently. But at last he did. He stood there completely nude, cock erect, blushing from ear to ear. It was thoroughly different than his experience with Gwaine. Then he had been drunk, desperate, disappointed, and mostly clothed. This was a second shot at a first time, and it couldn't have been more different. Though he was still desperate, just for all the right reasons.    
  
Arthur stood tall in his uniform, but now Merlin could see the desire in his eyes. He licked his lips, and Merlin stood up straighter, bolstered by the knowledge that Arthur wanted this as much as he did.    
  
Arthur swallowed visibly before saying, “Turn around.” Merlin did so (slowly… oh so slowly…).   
  
“Put your hands on the door and leave them there.”   
  
Once he did, a heavy stillness fell over them. The anticipation made Merlin's skin break out in gooseflesh. He was trembling and closed his eyes, willing himself to be calm.    
  
When a touch finally came, feather-light upon his shoulder, it made him shiver. His cock grew even harder, harder than he could ever remember it being…. First there was only one hand, the slightest brush of fingertips. Then more fingertips, mirroring the first, barely grazing his skin. He trembled even more, though he was not scared. Merlin thought he would go mad with want.    
  
Eventually the fingers worked their way down to his arse. Here they pressed more firmly, separating the cheeks till they arrived in the location Merlin knew the soul mark to be. He felt Arthur's hot breath warm the sensitive skin.    
  
Without warning, something warm and wet covered his soul mark and  _ pulled _ . It was pure electricity and Merlin gasped with the shock. He pushed back, but all he found was empty air. He moaned, a piteous, desperate little whimper.    
  
“Are you going to behave? Or will I have to stop?”   
  
Despite the attempted bravado, Arthur's voice was broken, as if he were as desperate as Merlin. His discipline to not touch was astounding.    
  
Merlin forced himself back to his former position and nodded his head. With that, Arthur grabbed his hips firmly and returned to sucking on the mark. Merlin felt his climax building, despite not being touched in any of the normal ways. He daren’t  make noise, but he threw his head back and tried to keep his panting breaths under control.    
  
When firm fingers unexpectedly stroked up the length of his cock, Merlin's awareness narrowed to a single focus:    
  
“Arthur!” he screamed as his legs collapsed underneath him. Strong arms wrapped round him, keeping him safe, and Merlin let himself fall. 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin wants a promotion. (Mostly just smut.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This part of the story is done! If there ever is more in this AU, it would be a new story. 
> 
> Thanks again to Kitty for being awesome. 
> 
> Written for the Camelot Drabble prompt "promotion".

Arthur’s arms were full of naked, trembling, sweaty Merlin. Dark hair brushed against his face, soft curly strands that Arthur longed to touch. His hands were busy, so he nuzzled his cheek into that lovely hair. He couldn't remember a time in his life where he had been so ecstatic. 

Merlin was still mostly unresponsive, shuddering with the last echoes of orgasm. Arthur held him tightly and marveled at this turn of events. Despite the incessant call of his heart, he had long since given up on the possibility of ever being with Merlin. And that it was his own father, who was supposed to _love_ him, that had tried to deny this happiness… That was a hard fact to deal with. 

The direction of his thoughts increased his tension, causing him to squeeze Merlin too fiercely. It pulled Merlin out of his daze, and the weight in his arms lessened considerably as Merlin placed his feet firmly on the floor. Arthur’s hands were freed to stroke all that exposed skin. 

Merlin groaned, then shoved himself backwards till he was completely pressed against Arthur. He ground his arse into Arthur, wiggling his bum like the little minx he was. Arthur's erection, which had flagged at the thoughts of his father, hardened immediately. 

“Good God! Merlin!” The wiggling continued, and Arthur took a step back, lest he sully his trousers. But Merlin merely stepped back with him, till Arthur ran into the back wall of the tiny closet. 

“Merlin!” he said again, gasping. 

“Yes, _my Lord_?” The words oozed off his tongue like a filthy promise. 

And fuck, if that didn't do things to him. Merlin never showed respect, the little imp, and to do so now…

Arthur groaned, so aroused he could no longer speak. 

“Why, whatever is it, _my Lord_? Is there something you'd like me to do for you?”

Good God. The mouth on this insolent whelp. Arthur was trying to think of a coherent response when the body in his arms squirmed free. Merlin took several steps away from him, revealing that his pale back was covered with indentations from Arthur's medals. That had to have hurt, but Arthur relished the idea of marking him, even if it was only temporary. He didn't have long to admire it though, because Merlin turned to face him. With a wink, he dropped to his knees and gazed up through his thick, dark lashes. Merlin, stark naked, on his knees for _Arthur_ … Arthur struggled not to climax just from that sight. 

“Remember when we first met, Your Highness? Remember what you asked me?”

Oh, how Arthur remembered. That day in the courtyard, when Arthur had escaped his tutors long enough to mingle with the crowds of tourists. The scrawny boy with the over-large ears who challenged him for being rude, not knowing him to be the prince. And that obnoxious question that had burst out of Arthur's mouth…

“Do you want to know the real answer, my Prince? The real answer is that I _do_ know how to walk on my knees.” 

Merlin winked again, then shuffled forwards on his knees till he reached Arthur's trousers. He undid the fastenings lightning quick. Before Arthur could register what was happening, a warm wet heat had enveloped his straining cock. There was immediate suction. Merlin grabbed the base of Arthur's shaft with his hand, and then both mouth and hand pulled together, up, down, up, down…

If Arthur had thought himself ecstatic before, it was nothing compared to how he felt now. His arousal had grown to the point that he wasn't sure how a single body could contain it. It was painful, it was glorious, and if only he could have just a little… bit… more…

His orgasm, when it came, was thrilling: perfect bliss, followed by great relief. and tremendous disappointment. Relief, because he hadn't thought he could survive much more. Disappointment, because it was over. He could not freeze time and make it last. 

Merlin swallowed everything, then stood up and threw his arms around him, clinging for dear life. Arthur squeezed back just as firmly, as though a sudden storm might come up and try to rip them apart. 

When Merlin pulled away, his pale skin was again covered with red marks where the medals had pressed in. Arthur's cock twitched at the sight, despite the fact that it had so recently spent. There was a pout on Merlin's full, gorgeous lips. 

“How is it that I'm completely naked and you're still almost fully clothed?”

“Wait—you're blaming me for that? Who was the one that had no patience? You didn't even give me a chance!”

Merlin gazed at him, a hungry expression on his face. “Well, there's no time like the present!”

“You’re insatiable, aren't you? Am I going to get _any_ rest in the next sixty years?” And God, wasn't that a thing of beauty to say? 

Merlin put his hand to his chin in a contrived expression of thought. “Nope!” He laughed, and it was an ecstatic, glorious sound. “Not that you would want rest anyway. You adore _long, hard_ work.” 

Arthur couldn't just let that go. He lunged to tickle the so-soft skin of Merlin's abdomen and then kiss him senseless, but Merlin was too quick and darted away. 

“Ah, ah, ah! If I'm going to be on call for _that_ kind of work for the next sixty years, I deserve a promotion!”

Arthur managed to grab Merlin and reel him in. “There's currently a brand new opening for Prince Consort. Would that suffice?”

Merlin stopped struggling, but when he spoke, he sounded dubious. “I don't know… Is the benefits package any good?” 

Arthur pulled their foreheads together. “The best.”

“Well, in that case… If there's no one else for the job…”

Arthur groaned. “Shut up, Merlin.”

“I'd make you sign a contract, but since your name is already on my arse…”

Arthur quickly shut that insolent mouth up with a kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> Kitty wants more, so I suppose there will be more. ;-)
> 
> Thank you to Tari_Sue for the help with the title. It made me laugh out loud, so yay!


End file.
